Newark, Del. – The no. 3-seed Le Moyne College baseball team earned an 8-7 walk-off victory in extra innings against sixth-seeded Queens College on Thursday during the first game of the 2023 NCAA Championship East Regional #2 double-elimination four-team bracket at University of Delaware's Bob Hannah Stadium.
 
"What a gritty win by the guys," said Le Moyne head coach Scott Cassidy '98 following the postseason victory. "The whole lineup contributed on offense, led by Lukas (Egenhauser). He came up so clutch today. We pieced it together on the mound with a big-time outing from Jed (Boyle). Now we prepare for tomorrow night," Cassidy added.
 
Sophomore right fielder Wyatt Patchett (Geneva, N.Y./Geneva), who contributed two hits, two runs, two RBI and a walk to the Le Moyne cause on Thursday, scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the 10^th inning on a wild pitch. Graduate first baseman Dewey Roden (Sherrill, N.Y./Vernon-Verona-Sherrill/UMass Lowell) and freshman third baseman Lukas Egenhauser (Suffern, N.Y./Suffern) both also provided two runs batted in during the postseason victory, and Egenhauser delivered a team-best and season-high four hits, including an important two-run home run in the bottom of the seventh inning that trimmed Le Moyne's deficit from three runs to one. Egenhauser's home run was his second of the season.
 
Le Moyne junior left-handed pitcher Max Parker (Manlius, N.Y./Fayetteville-Manlius) got the start for the Dolphins and went 6.0 innings while allowing just four hits, but the Knights scratched across three runs in the fifth, then added three more in the top of the sixth on a three-run home run from junior left fielder Reed Hoskins.
 
Queens added a seventh run in the seventh inning against Le Moyne right-handed reliever Eric Swiencicki (Lancaster, N.Y./St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute), then after Egenhauser's home run in the bottom of the frame, right-handed reliever Billy Hoffacker (Erial, N.J./Timber Creek/Rowan College of South Jersey) got out of a bases-loaded jam in the top of the eighth to maintain Le Moyne's deficit at just one run.
 
After Le Moyne tied the game in the bottom of the eighth on an RBI sacrifice fly from Patchett, senior right-hander Jed Boyle (Syracuse, N.Y./Corcoran) held the Knights scoreless for the ninth and tenth innings to earn his third win of the season for the 'Phins.
 
Boyle delivered a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the ninth, but Hoskins ripped a two-out double off the wall in the top of the 10^th to put the go-ahead run in scoring position for the Knights. Boyle got a swinging strikeout during the next at bat to strand the runner at second and keep the contest tied at 7-7.
 
Sullivan and Patchett both walked with one out in the bottom of the 10^th, then Egenhauser delivered his fourth hit of the ballgame, a rocket ground ball through the left side of the infield, to load the bases.
 
Queens freshman right-handed reliever Christopher Naronis got a ground ball to the right side with the infield in, and the Knights got the lead runner at home for the second out of the inning. After recording the putout at the plate, Queens junior catcher Nick Barreiros tried to throw Patchett out at third to record an inning-ending double play, but Le Moyne's sophomore right fielder hustled to the bag and slid in safely to keep the bases loaded.
 
Fifth-year shortstop Nick Nevins (Pougkeepsie, N.Y./Roy C. Ketcham) stepped to the plate next and the first pitch thrown to him was in the dirt and bounced away from the catcher. Patchett dashed towards home and slid head first across the plate to record the game-ending run.
 
Parker, a 2023 NE10 First Team All-Conference honoree, did not allow a base runner during the first three innings on Thursday,  then Le Moyne broke the tie and took a 2-0 in the bottom of the third with the help of a one-out double from Egenhauser, a deep fly ball to right-center field from graduate second baseman Drew Carroll (Clifton Park, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy (Albany)), and an RBI single through the left side of the infield from Roden.
 
Parker put up another zero in the top of the fourth, but the Knights scored three runs in the fifth to take their first lead of the game. Sophomore third baseman Juan De La Rosa ripped the ball down the left field line for a leadoff double, then Hoskins hit a chopper back up the middle to drive him in and cut Queens' deficit in half. The Knights then loaded the bases with zero outs in the inning, and Barreiros drove in the tying run with a ground ball to the shortstop, which resulted in a fielder's choice at second base.
 
Queens then took the lead during the next at bat, as senior center fielder Jayson Rodopoulos dropped down a sacrifice bunt which allowed freshman shortstop Andew Ramirez to score from third base. Parker fielded the bunt and flipped it with his glove to sophomore catcher Benji Ries (Buffalo Grove, Ill./Adlai E. Stevenson) to try to get the out at home. Ramirez slid across the plate as the toss was still in the air, but Ries smartly turned and fired to first just in time to get the second out of the inning.  Parker got a fly ball during the next at bat to end the frame.
 
Sullivan helped the Dolphins respond immediately by hammering an 0-2 pitch into the right-center field gap for a double to lead off the bottom of the fifth.
 
Patchett worked a full count during the next at bat against Queens left-handed starting pitcher Liam Pulsipher, then Patchett hammered the 3-2 delivery and ripped a ground ball to the left of the shortstop and into the outfield turf for a game-tying RBI single.
 
Queens put two runners on base with one out in the top of the sixth, then Hoskins swung at a 3-0 pitch from Parker and lifted a fly ball over the left-center field wall to give the Knights a 6-3 advantage.
 
Roden, Le Moyne's leader in RBI and hits this season and a 2023 NE10 Third Team All-Conference selection, stole back some momentum for the 'Phins with a no-doubt opposite field solo home run to lead off the bottom of the sixth, trimming Le Moyne's deficit to two runs. Roden's home run was his ninth of the season, pushing his 2023 RBI total to 51. Patchett is still the team's leader in home runs with 11 so far this season.

As a team, the Dolphins now have 54 home runs on the year, surpassing the 2006 squad's total of 53 long balls (Le Moyne head strength and condition coach Ben Gaal led the 2006 team in home runs with 13) for the third most home runs hit by a Le Moyne baseball team in the last 20 years. The 2008 Le Moyne squad launched 57 home runs, and the 2004 group of Dolphins recorded 66 home runs in 57 games.

Swiencicki replaced Parker for the top of the seventh, and he recorded a strike out against the first batter he faced. Egenhauser caught a line drive at third during the next at bat for the second out of the inning, but then Queens sophomore second baseman Marc Cisco delivered a two-out double to the warning track in center field.

Freshman right fielder Jorsixt Jimenez ripped a line drive off the wall in left field during the next at bat, which brought Cisco around to score, making it 7-4 in favor of the Knights. Jimenez tried to stretch a single into a double on the play, but Sullivan fielded the ball off the wall and fired a laser to Carroll at second base, who applied the tag on Jimenez for the third out of the inning.
 
Patchett led off the bottom of the seventh for the Dolphins and hit a slow chopper down the third base line. De La Rosa charged the ball, fielded it cleanly and fired to first on the run, but Patchett hustled down the line and beat the throw to the bag for an infield single.
 
Egenhauser stepped to the plate next and swung at the first pitch he saw. Le Moyne's rookie third baseman squared the ball up and sent it flying over the tall wall in left field for a two-run home run, trimming Le Moyne's deficit to 7-6.
 
Pulsipher recorded his first out of the inning on an infield popup, then Nevins swung at a 1-2 pitch and hammered the ball high in the air towards right-center field. As the baseball sailed towards the wall, it looked as if Nevins had provided a game-tying solo home run, but the ball hit the wall on the fly and bounced towards center field. Nevins was able to advance all the way to third on the play for his first triple of the season. Pulsipher retired the next hitter for the second out of the inning, then Queens right-handed relief pitcher Danny Gargano recorded a strikeout to end the inning and strand the tying run at third base.
 
Hoffacker entered the game to pitch the top of the eighth for the Dolphins, and he hit the first batter he faced.
 
Hoffacker then bounced back and got two consecutive infield popups. Ramirez recorded a single to left field with two outs in the inning, then first baseman Matt Filip drew a walk to load the bases, bringing Barreiros to the plate. Hoffacker got ahead in the count 1 and 2, then Barreiros took two balls to bring the count full. On the 3-2 bases-loaded delivery, Hoffacker threw a strike, and Barreiros hit a fly ball to right field which was caught comfortably by Patchett for the final out of the inning.
 
Senior center fielder Zach Brush (New York Mills, N.Y./New York Mills) led off the bottom of the eighth for the Dolphins and hit a hard ground ball to the right side that snuck past the first baseman and ricocheted into foul territory in right field. Brush advanced to second on the play, giving Le Moyne a runner in scoring position with zero outs.  Ries then put together a great at bat, ripping two hard-hit balls that landed just foul before hammering a pitch on a line towards center field. Ries line drive was hit right at Rodopoulos in center field, who made the catch for the first out of the inning.
 
Sullivan hit a ground ball to the right side during the next at bat, and once again the first baseman was unable to make the play, putting runners on first and third.

Patchett stepped to the plate next and fell behind 0-2 before driving a pitch to deep right-center field, which allowed Brush to tag up and score, tying the game at 7-7.
 
Boyle took the mound for the top of the ninth and delivered a 1-2-3 inning.
 
Le Moyne put runners on first and second with one out in the bottom of the ninth, but the Knights spun an inning-ending double play to send the contest to extra innings.
 
Boyle retired the first two batters in the top of the tenth, then Hoskins ripped a double off the wall in center field to put the go-ahead run in scoring position.
 
Boyle attacked the next hitter and painted the outside corner with two consecutive fastballs to get ahead in the count 0 and 2. Queens' Ramirez fouled off the next two pitches, then took a ball, and fouled off another pitch before Boyle threw a 1-2 fastball past his swinging bat and into Ries' glove for strike three to end the inning.
 
Ries led off the bottom of the 10^th for Le Moyne and hit a chopper back up the middle, but Ramirez ranged to his left, slid to field the ball, then spun to align his feet as he popped up and fired to first base in time to record the first out of the inning.
 
Sullivan and Patchett drew back-to-back walks to put runners on first and second with one out, then Egenhauser ripped a single to left field to load the bases. With the infield in, Carroll hit the ball hard to the right side, but Cisco made a nice play on the ball and fired home for the second out of the inning. The first pitch to Nevins was in the dirt and bounced away from the catcher allowing Patchett to score from the third base, giving the 'Phins an 8-7 walk off victory.
 
It is the fourth time this season that the Dolphins have won a game in walk-off fashion.
 
The Dolphins will return to Bob Hannah Stadium on Friday night for a 7:00 p.m. matchup against second-seeded Goldey-Beacom College, who defeated seventh-seeded Felician University by a score of 4-3 during game two of the NCAA Championship East Regional #2.
 
If the Dolphins win tomorrow night under the lights, they will advance to the East Regional #2 Championship game on Saturday.
 
The winner of East Regional #2 will take on the winner of East Regional #1 (between #1 Southern New Hampshire, #4 Pace University, and #5 Franklin Pierce University) in the super regional on May 26 and 27 at the site of the higher seeded team for a chance to earn a spot in the eight-team NCAA Finals from June 3-10 at the USA Baseball National Training Complex.